It takes a lot of guts to voice strong opinions or do anything counter to the status quo, but "...the safe route always leads to mediocrity, and that is the real risk."

Below, are a few quotes from "Risky is the New Safe" (in red italic) and some information that I think artists and makers may find inspiring.

Artists and makers, you "know that unconventional approaches, contrarian thinking, and innovation-- which sometimes means tipping things upside down, and sometimes means beginning with a blank canvas".....this is "where the real magic is."

FIND YOUR NICHE MARKET "Seek out the challenges, determine what the problems will be and who will be facing them, because therein lie the greatest opportunities for contrarians, critical thinkers, and people willing to take risks."

You know, the internet is such a part of our lives and yet we forget the fact that e-marketing is still in its INFANCY!Randy Gage writes: “The
statistics you read about online commerce may seem mind-blowing, and
the numbers grow substantially every season, but you have to keep in
mind that we are still at the very, very earliest stages of online
purchasing right now. Those huge sales figures you see reported today
are miniscule in comparison to what they will be in 5 to 10 years.”

Now,
what does this mean for artists and makers? How can we be a part of the future of
e-commerce? What are the tools we need? Learn more about upcoming topics at the Professional Development Seminar. (More information at the bottom of this post.)***

"Success is simply a continuous process of conquering challenges."

Recently, I
took several C.D.s out of the library from the Beatles and Annie
Lennox. Both are music phenomena. Their music has had longevity, power
and each a singular voice....well, guess what? They have tons of music that aren't hits, but they kept on creating. That is what it takes to be
successful, and even the most well known, most successful people don't
produce hits all the time, but they keep working. They keep making.

"Successful people are people in motion. They move a step closer to their dream daily. They are in action every day, even when they don't feel like it. This takes motivation."

Risky is the New Safe is worth reading. I recommend getting this book from your local library, uploading it to your I-pad...or buying the book to savor every word.

My lecture
is titled:CREATING, CONNECTING, COMMUNITY
Creativity is rooted in self reflection, personal
expression, and social context. But context comes by connecting to a larger
community. The Internet encourages “Us” to share, but tutorials, books, and
social networks sometimes facilitate copying or infringement with questionable
consequences. Do we understand the impact of copying, under- pricing, sharing
information, and skills that someone else invented? A challenge to the status
quo is worth considering.

Your comments about this topic are most welcome.

***The SNAG Professional Development Seminar will be discussing the future issues surrounding web sites, and e commerce for artists and makers with our guest speakers from All You CAN Eat Website.
Justin Hartzman, Michael Koral, Jeremy Poriah will be offering some
insight into our long range planning for your on line presence. Don't miss
the PDS!

It takes a lot of guts to voice strong opinions or do anything counter to the status quo, but "...the safe route always leads to mediocrity, and that is the real risk."

Below, are a few quotes from "Risky is the New Safe" (in red italic) and some information that I think artists and makers may find inspiring.

Artists and makers, you "know that unconventional approaches, contrarian thinking, and innovation-- which sometimes means tipping things upside down, and sometimes means beginning with a blank canvas".....this is "where the real magic is."

FIND YOUR NICHE MARKET "Seek out the challenges, determine what the problems will be and who will be facing them, because therein lie the greatest opportunities for contrarians, critical thinkers, and people willing to take risks."

You know, the internet is such a part of our lives and yet we forget the fact that e-marketing is still in its INFANCY!Randy Gage writes: “The
statistics you read about online commerce may seem mind-blowing, and
the numbers grow substantially every season, but you have to keep in
mind that we are still at the very, very earliest stages of online
purchasing right now. Those huge sales figures you see reported today
are miniscule in comparison to what they will be in 5 to 10 years.”

Now,
what does this mean for artists and makers? How can we be a part of the future of
e-commerce? What are the tools we need? Learn more about upcoming topics at the Professional Development Seminar. (More information at the bottom of this post.)***

"Success is simply a continuous process of conquering challenges."

Recently, I
took several C.D.s out of the library from the Beatles and Annie
Lennox. Both are music phenomena. Their music has had longevity, power
and each a singular voice....well, guess what? They have tons of music that aren't hits, but they kept on creating. That is what it takes to be
successful, and even the most well known, most successful people don't
produce hits all the time, but they keep working. They keep making.

"Successful people are people in motion. They move a step closer to their dream daily. They are in action every day, even when they don't feel like it. This takes motivation."

Risky is the New Safe is worth reading. I recommend getting this book from your local library, uploading it to your I-pad...or buying the book to savor every word.

My lecture
is titled:CREATING, CONNECTING, COMMUNITY
Creativity is rooted in self reflection, personal
expression, and social context. But context comes by connecting to a larger
community. The Internet encourages “Us” to share, but tutorials, books, and
social networks sometimes facilitate copying or infringement with questionable
consequences. Do we understand the impact of copying, under- pricing, sharing
information, and skills that someone else invented? A challenge to the status
quo is worth considering.

Your comments about this topic are most welcome.

***The SNAG Professional Development Seminar will be discussing the future issues surrounding web sites, and e commerce for artists and makers with our guest speakers from All You CAN Eat Website.
Justin Hartzman, Michael Koral, Jeremy Poriah will be offering some
insight into our long range planning for your on line presence. Don't miss
the PDS!